Four motion looper for sewing machines



May 5, 1959 e. REIMER FOUR MOTION LOOPER FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Feb.is, 1956 I 10 Sheets-Sheet l y 1959 G. M. REIMER 2,884,883

FOUR MOTION LOOPER FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Feb. 16, 1956 10Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.2 I:

6.8M. REIMER FOUR MOTION LOOPER FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Feb. 16, 1956May 5, 1959 10 Shets-Sheet 3 May 5, 1959 G. M.-REIMER 2,884,883

FOUR MOTION LOOPER FOR SEWI NG MACHINES Filed Feb. 1a, 1956 1oSheets-Sheet 4 FIG.I4

M y 5,1955 7 G. REIMER v I 2,884,883

FOUR MOTION LOOFEE FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Feb. 16, 1956 8 1o Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG.5 4c

98 43 42 97]I 96 9 v I 44 i] 9| I I I llll- I. Hum. ll L!- "I" FIG.7

FIG.8

May 5, 1959 G. M. REIMER v FOUR MOTION LOOPER FOR SEWING MACHINES FiledFeb. 16, 1956 10 Sheets-Sheet 6 FIG.9

y 1959 G. M. REIMER 2,884,883

FOUR MOTION LOOPEIR FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Feb. 1a, 1956 10Sheets-Shed; 7

FIG. l2v

FIG. l4

FIG. u

May 5, 1959 cs. M. REIMER 2,384,883

FOUR MOTION LOOPER FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Feb. 16,1956 1o Sheet-Sheets May 5, 1959 G. M. REIMER FOUR MOTION LOOPER FOR SEWING MACHINES FiledFeb. 16, 1956 10 Sheets-Sheet 9 G. M. REIMER FOUR MOTION LOOPER FORSEWING MACHINES Filed Feb. 16,1956

May 5, 1959 10 Sheets-Sheet 10 2,884,883 FOUR MOTION LOOPER FOR SEWINGMACHINES George M. Reimer, Elmwood Park, Ill., assignor to Union SpecialMachine Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois ApplicationFebruary 16, 1956, Serial No. 565,818 13 Claims. (Cl. 112-166) Thisinvention relates to sewing machines having a reciprocatory needle barwhich is shifted laterally in the United States Patent direction of feedin the course of stitch formation to provide a needle feed action. It isparticularly concerned with machines of this character adapted to formone or more lines of two-threaded chain stitches. In its preferredembodiment it involves a machine having a plurality of needles carriedby the needle bar and a plu-' rality of loopers, each cooperating withits respective needle to form a seam of the two-thread chain stitchtype, the loopers having their loop seizing and shedding movementstransverse to the line of feed and their needle avoid movements in thedirection of feed.

In machines of the character indicated provisions have been made for themovement of the looper in the direction of feed in coordination with themovement of the needle in such direction to enable the looper tocoopcrate properly wtih the needle in the course of its needle feedaction. The means provided for this purpose, however, have been suchthat the movement of the looper in the direction of feed has beendependent entirely upon the feed stroke. This has led to difiicultiesrequiring special adjustments of certain parts whenever the feed strokehas been changed. This is because correct stitch formation requires apredetermined relation between the looper and the needle as theycooperate in the formation of stitches. Thus correct stitch formationrequires a predetermined spacing, in the direction of stitch formation,between the needle and looper as each of these elements enters thethread loop of the other. At times the loopers must be in front of theneedles to a predetermined extent and at times in rear of the needles toa predetermined extent. These relative positions of the loopers andneedles are insured 'by a definite extent of needle avoid movement ofthe loopers. In a machine having a needle feed action and a feedmechanism adapted to impart a feed movement to the work coordinated withthe needle feed action it is relationship between the needles andloopers when the latter are shifted in the direction of feed to extentswhich are in direct proportion to the feed stroke. Thus assuming thatthe feed stroke is reduced to half of its former adjustment, theclearance between the paths of the needles and loopers will be reducedto half their former value. Special means, which are difiicult to adjustproperly and require separate regulation, are therefore needed to varythe extent of movement of the loopers in the direction of feed inrelation to the feed stroke as the latter is varied.

It has been an important object of the present invention to overcome theforegoing difficulties by providing mechanism which will automaticallycause the loopdifiicult to maintain the proper ers to maintain theirproper relationship to the needles, i

avoid relationship, regardless of the particular feed stroke for whichthe machine is adjusted. This is accomplished, in a way to requireadjustment, only of the feed stroke, by providing two different controlsover the movement of the loopers in the direction of feed, one byconnections from the work feeding mechanism and varying with the feedstroke for which the machine is adjusted and the other of fixedmagnitude to provide a predetermined needle avoid action. The properneedle avoid relationship is thus maintained, without an extraadjustment, whenever the feed stroke is varied.

Various improvements are. also incorporated, in accordance with theinvention, in the mechanism for imparting the desired reciprocatory andneedle feed movements to the needle bar. These include a simple buteffective arrangement for preventing undesired wobbling of a linkconnecting a ball pin at the end of the needle lever with a ball pincarried by the needle bar, the provision of improved means for guidingand preventing turning of the needle bar in the course of itsreciprocating and swinging movements, and the provision of improvedmeans for guiding and confining a swinging frame in which the needle baris reciprocated. These among other advantages insure, and facilitate themaintenance of, the proper coordination of the needles and loopers inthe course of their compound movements.

Other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will appearfrom the detailed description of certain illustrative embodimentsthereof which will now be given in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a view, partly in front elevation, partly in longitudinalsection and with parts broken away, of a sewing machine embodying theinvention;

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view of the machine, as seen from the leftin Fig. l, with a cover removed from the needle head of. the machine;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the machine with a portion of the overhangingarm broken away, certain cover membersremoved and certain parts brokenaway for clarity of illustration;

Fig. 4 isa plan view of the overhanging arm of the machine with partsbroken away and shown in section;

Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical sectional view through the base of themachine taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of a throat plate embodied in themachine;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the throat plate;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of a feed dog embodied in the machine;

Fig. 9 is a transverse vertical section through the base of the machine,taken along the line 9-9 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 10 is an exploded perspective view of parts embodied in themechanism for shifting the loopers in the line of feed;

Fig. 11 is an elevational view illustrating the relationship between oneof the needles and the cooperating looper as the latter is about toseize the needle thread loop;

Fig. 12 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 is an elevational view showing the relationship between a needleand its cooperating looper as the needle descends through the loop ofthe looper thread;

Fig. 14 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 13;

Fig. 15 is a detail view, in elevation, showing the adjustable drive forimparting the needle feed action to the needle bar;

Fig. 16 is a rear elevational view of a portion of the base of themachine showing the feed rocker and its mounting and the looperoperating mechanism;

Fig. 17 is an exploded perspective view of a needle bar carrying frameand related parts; I

for the formation of a portant features of the invention may,

shedding movements in a direction feed.

Within the needle head there vertically, a needle bar 16 carrying aplurality of needles a portion 20b of an arm 20 may be made foradjustment and away from each other to -base of the modified machine,taken alongthe line 19 19 of Fig. 18.

Referring now to the drawings, the invention has been illustrated inconnection with a machine of the general character shown in the Petersonet a1. Patent No. 2,577,- 430, granted December 4, 1951. chine isprovided with a plurality The illustrative maofneedles adapted tobereciprocated from a positionabo've the work support of the frame to aposition in which the thread carrying eyes of the needles are below saidwork support and there cooperate with a plurality'of loopers, havingloop seizing and shedding movements across the line of feed, pluralityof lines of stitches of the two-thread chain stitch type, designated a401 stitch in accordance with the Federal Specifications. Certainimhowever, be used in relation to a single needle machine arranged tocooperate with a single looper having its loop seizing and loop acrossthe line of The frame of the machine, as best shown in Fig. 1, is

' provided with a work supporting base 10, a vertical stand- "assa sasard 11, and an overhanging arm 12 terminating in a needle head 13, whichcarries a needle bar arranged for vertical reciprocation aridalsoswinging movement in the line of feed. A rotary shaft 14,

journaled in suitable hearings in the base of the frame, serves tooperate all of the operative devices within the machine. For convenienceof assembly this shaft is formed in three parts which are connectedtogether by couplings 14d and 14b,

Fig. 3. Shaft 14 extends outwardly through the right end wall of theframe and has secured thereto a combined handwheel and pulley 15 adaptedfor connection by a belt with a suitable power source, such as anelectric transmitter, and adapted also for turning by hand. is disposed,substantially 17 at its lower end. The needle bar ismounted forreciprocation in a frame designated generally by the reference number18. It is mounted for swinging movement "about a pivot stud 19 retainedin appropriate position in an opening in a portion of the top of theframe of the needle head by means of a set screw 19a. The swinging frame18 is shown in detail in Fig. 17 in relation to various cooperatingdevices. As shown, it is provided with a pair of spaced bearing blocks18a and 18b provided with vertically aligned openings in which theneedle bar is arranged to reciprocate. A plate-like member 180, which issuitably secured to the bearing blocks 18a and 18b by welding or thelike, is provided with an elongated vertically extending slot 18dthrough which extends secured to the needle bar by means of a set screw20a. Portion 20b of the arm is guided by and arranged for verticalsliding movement in relation to a pair of detachable guide elements 21secured to the frame 18. These guide elements are fastened to the frameby means of screws 21a. If .desired provision of the elements 21 towardcompensate for wear and the like. For this purpose openings 21b in theelements 21, which cooperate with the screws 21a, may be slightly largerin diameter than the shanks of these screws or they may be elongatedslightly in a horizontal direction. It will be understood that thecooperation of the arm 20 with the guides serves to prevent turning ofthe needle bar about its axis in the course of its reciprocation.Beneath the guide bars 21 there is secured to the housing of the needlehead a bar 22, this being fastened by screws thereof overlying the mainbody by quickly adjusting the position of the guide surface of the head23a to insure proper cooperation with the surface 182 and to compensatefor wear.

Arm 20 secured to the needle bar in the manner explained also carries aball pin 20c arranged to cooperate with a short link 24. The latter hasa spherical seat 2411 provided in part by the main body of the link andin part by a detachable cap 241: which is secured to the A spring clip25 secured to main body by screws 240. the outer end of the ball pin 200by means of a'screw 25a having screw threaded engagement with aninternally threaded opening in the ball is arranged to cooperate withthe adjacent face of the link 24 to urge the lower end of the linkinwardly, i.e. toward the left (Fig. 1). This serves to take upclearance between the ball pin and the spherical seat and eliminates thetendency of the link to wobble in the course of its movement inoperating the needle bar. At its upper end the link 24 is provided witha spherical seat 2411, formed in part by the main body of the link andin part by a cap 24e secured to screws 24 The spherical seat 24dcooperates with the ball end 26a of a' screw threaded ball pin 26 whichprojects outwardly from the end of one arm of a needle lever 27 rockablymounted on a pivot 28 extending transversely of the overhanging arm atabout its mid point. A set screw 26b serves to lock the ball pin 26firmly in the end of the needle lever. The opposite arm of the needlelever carries a ballpin 29 (Fig. 1) which receives a spherical strap atthe upper end of a pitman 30 which extends downwardly through thevertical standard. At its lower end this pitman co.- operates with acrank portion 31 of the shaft 14. Crank 31 may have a spherical crankpin arranged to cooperate with a spherical seat in the strap at thelower end of pitman 30 or this strap and crank pin may be of theconstruction disclosed in the patent to Attwood, No. 2,729,- 179,granted January 3, 1956. Through the connections described, the needlelever 27 will be rocked about its pivot 28 and through the link 24 willbring about reciprocation of the needle bar within the frame 18.

Simultaneously with the reciprocation of the needle bar it is shiftedalong the line of feed by the swinging of the frame 18 about the pivot19. For this purpose there is carried by the shaft 14 an eccentric orcrank element arranged to cooperate with a strap 32a at the end of apitman 32. The strap and the eccentric may have cooperating sphericalfaces if desired, although they may be of cylindrical form. At its upperend the pitman 32 carries a strap 32b providing a spherical seatcooperating with a ball pin 33 extending laterally from an arm 34 (Figs.1 and 15) secured to a shaft 35. Arm 34 has an elongated arcuate slot34a along which the ball pin 33 may be shifted to any desired positionand then se cured in said position. In this way the extent of angularmovement imparted to the shaft 35 may be readily varied. Shaft 35extends longitudinally of the overhanging arm from a rearwardlyextending bulge of the vertical standard to and into a rearwardlyextending bulge provided on the housing of the needle head. Within thelatter there is clamped upon the shaft an arm 36 which extendsdownwardly. This arm has an elongated arcuate slot 36a along which maybe adjusted screw stud 37 providing a pivot for one end of a link 38.The stud 37 may be adjusted to any desired position along the slot 36aand then set in such position. This provides a further means ofadjustment of the swinging movement imparted to the frame 18. Theforward end of the link 38 is pivotally with the frame .18 at. a

Qonnected by a. screw stud 39.

' Through the connections point adjacent its lower end. described, theframe 18 is swung back and forth about the pivot 19 and, as explained,the extent of the swinging movement may be varied by adjusting theposition of either or both the ball pin 33 and the screw stud 37 alongthe slots in their retaining arms. The timing of the reciprocation ofthe needle bar and its swinging movements is such that the needles willbe carried in the direction of feed when the needles are in engagementwith the work and they will be returned to their forward position whenthey are out of engagement with the work.

The mechanism in the base of the machine for advancing the Work in thecourse of stitch formation is shown in Figs. 1, 2, 5, and 16. Itcomprises a feed dog 40 having a downwardly extending shank with anelongated slot which receives a screw 41 to secure the feed dog to theforward end of a feed bar 42. The elongated slot in the shank of thefeed dog enables vertical adjustment of the latter in relation to thefeed bar. At its rearward end the feed bar is pivotally connected bymeans of a hollow shaft 43 with upwardly extending arms of a feed rocker44. Downwardly extending arms of the latter are secured by screws 45 toa rock shaft 46. At an intermediate point the feed rocker is providedwith a laterally extending trunnion or stud 47 to which is secured, bymeans of screws 48a, a split clamping portion at the rear end of adownwardly and forwardly extending arm 48. At its forward end the latteris pivotally connected by a hollow pin 48b with the lower end of apitman 49. The upper end of this pitman surrounds and receivesmotionfrom a crank pin 50 which is adapted for adjustment along a slot51:: in a disc 51 secured to the end of the drive shaft 14. Theconstruction of this adjustable eccentric or crank is similar to thatdisclosed in the patent to Wohlpart No. 1,817,727, granted August 4,1931. By appropriate adjustment of the crank pin 60 the extent ofrocking movement imparted to the feed rocker 44 may be varied to imparta desired feed stroke to the feed dog. It will be apparent that throughthe connections described the feed dog will be given its work advancingand return movements. For imparting lifting and lowering movements tothe feed dog, to carry it into and out of engagement with the work, thefeed bar 42. is provided with a c-shaped downwardly extending arm 52pivotally connected by means of a hollow pin 53 with the lower end of apitman 54. The latter, at its upper end, has a strap portion surroundingan eccentric 55 secured to the shaft 14 in a region directly beneath thefeed dog.

Cooperating with the feed dog in advancing the Work is a presser foot 56(Fig. 2) pivotally mounted on a shank element 57 clamped upon the lowerend of a presser bar 58 which is vertically slidable in a bearing sleeve59 carried by the bottom of the needle head housing. A spring 66 urgesthe presser bar 58 downwardly, this spring having its upper end disposedabout a downwardly extending pin 61 carried by a screw-threaded sleeve62 which, upon appropriate turning in one direction or the other, islifted or lowered to vary the force of the spring 61.

Cooperating with the needles 17 in the formation of stitches are aplurality of loopers 63 (Fig. 1) mounted on an arm or carrier 64pivotally mounted, by means of a screw stud 65, upon a downwardlyextending portion of a sleeve 66 which is secured by a screw 67 to arock shaft 68. The latter is suitably journaled in bearings carried bythe base of the frame. Loop-seizing and shedding movements are impartedto the loopers 63 by connections from the shaft 14 for rocking the arm64 about its pivot 65. For this purpose, as best shown in Figs. 1 and16, the shaft 14 is provided with a spherical crank 69 with whichcooperates a strap, having a spherical seat, at the upper end of apitman 76. At its lower end this pitman has a spherical strapcooperating with a ball pin 71, extending outwardly from an .arm .72 ofa member clamped-"upon a rock fshaft73. An arm. 74 is secured to theshaft 73' adjacent its forward end and extendsupwardly therefrom, thisarm being .connected by a link 75 with the arm 64. Link 75 has strapportions at its two ends provided with spherical seats cooperat ing withball pins carried by the arms 64 and 74. As shown in Fig. l, the link 75is of extensible construction so that its effective length may bereadily altered to insure proper coaction of the loopers With theneedles. Also it is preferably of toggle construction to permit theloopers to be swung toward the right (Fig. 1) for threading purposes andthe'like.

The mechanism for shifting the loopers along the line of feed, both tofollow the swinging movement of the needles and to provide a needleavoid action, is best disclosed in Figs. 9 and 10. It comprises an arm76 having a split hub clamped by a screw 77 upon the shaft 68 to whichis secured the sleeve 66 (Fig. 1) as previously described. Arm 76 hasrearwardly extending forks formed by spaced lower prongs 78 and spacedupper prongs 79 which form guideways for the sliding movement of blocks80. The latter are rockably mounted on an arm of a lever 31 by means ofa hollow pin 82. Spring clips 83, cooperating with grooves extendingaround the pin 82 adjacent its outer ends, serve to hold the blocks inassembled relation on the pin. The pin is, in turn, fixedly mounted onthe arm 81 and held against movement with respect thereto by means of aset screw 82a; Lever 81 is rockably mounted at the lower end of a pitman84, The latter is forked to provide spaced downwardly extending portionswhich straddle the lever and are pivotally connected therewith by meansof a pin 85 which is secured within a central opening in the lever bymeans of a set screw 86.- Pitman 84 has a strap portion 84a surroundingan eccentric 84b secured to the shaft 14. The opposite arm of lever 31is pivotally connected, by means of a pin 87, with an arm 88 which has.a forked end arranged to straddle the end of the lever 81, the spacedportions of the forked end of arm 88 being pro? vided with openingsaligned withan opening 81a through the lever in which the pin 87 isreceived. The pin is held in fixed relation to the lever by means of aset screw 89. Arm 88 has a split hub portion surrounding the shaft 46 towhich the feed rocker is secured, this hub being firmly clamped upon theshaft 46 by means of a screw 90.

The operation of the foregoing mechanism may be explained as follows.Let us assume firstly that the arm this held fixed so that a fixed pivotis provided by the pin 87. The eccentric 84b will then shift the pitman84 back and forth in'a longitudinal direction and will cause the lever81 to rock about the pin 87. In doing this the arm 76 will be rocked andin turn willrock the shaft 68 s to impart the desired needle avoidmovements to the loopers. Now let us assume that the pitman 84 is (heldstationary so that pin 85 forms a fixed pivot for the lever 81, it willbe seen that the rocking movements of the feed rocker and its shaft 46will then, through the arm 88, cause rocking of the lever 81 about pin85 and cause corresponding rocking movements to be imparted to the arm76 and shaft 68 to shift the loopers along the line of feed. It shouldbe noted in this connection that feeding movements of the feed dog areimparted by counterclockwise rocking of the feed rocker and its shaft46'. This will cause lifting of the left arm of lever 81 and lowering ofthe right arm to impart a counterclockwise movement to the rock shaft68, thus bringing about movement of the loopers in the direction offeed. It will be understood that at the same time the needles will beshifted in the direction of feed to the same extent by the needle feedmechanism described. On the return movement of the feed dog and theneedles the loopers will be shifted in the opposite direction to followthe movement of the needles. The extent ofmovementot;

nearest the loopers by the connections from the feed rocker issubstantially equal to the feed stroke, for all adjustments of thelatter.

Actually, of course, the two movements described above take placesimultaneously, i.e., the movement of the loopers in synchronism withthe movement of the feed dog and the swinging movement of the needleswill have imposed upon it the needle avoid effect imparted by theeccentric 84b. The net result is indicated schematically in Figs. 11 to14 inclusive. Thus as shown in Figs. 11 and 12 the looper 63 in movingtoward the left to seize the needle thread loop will pass in rear of theneedle, by virtue of the action of the needle avoid eccentric 8412- atthis time. At a different point in the cycle, when the needle 17 isdescending to pass through the loop of looper thread, the needle avoideccentric 84b will insure the positioning of the looper in front of thedownward path of the needle as shown in Figs. 13 and 14. Throughout themovement of the needle and looper at these two different points in thecycle, the two will be shifted togefiher in the direction of feed tomaintain the same relationship by virtue of the connection from the feedrocker to the looper supporting rock shaft 68. This will be the caseregardless of the feed stroke for which the machine is set, assuming, ofcourse, that the needle feed action is set to correspond with the feedstroke of the feed dog. Also it will be understood that the relationshipdepicted in Figs. 11 to 14 between one needle and one looper will besimilarly maintained between the other needles and other loopers in amultiple needle and multiplelooper machine.

In Figs. 6 and 7 there is illustrated a suitable form of throat plate 91which may be provided in the cloth plate of the work supporting base inthe region of stitch formation. This plate has openings 92, 93, 94 and95 therethrough to accommodate the portions 40a, 40b, 40c and 40d of thefeed dog 40 shown in Fig. 8. These portions of the feed dog will passupwardly and downwardly through the openings in lowering movements areimparted to the feed bar and they will move longitudinally of theopenings in response to the feed and return movements of the feed bar.The feed dog as shown is provided with openings 40a for the passage ofthe needles therethrough.

A needle guard is preferably mounted on the feed bar to cooperate withthe needles and insure their proper positioning in relation to the pathof the loopers. A suitable form of such guard is shown in Fig. 5 andpartially in Figs. 1 and 3. It comprises a member 96 having a pin 97slidable, for purposes of adjustment, in a guide groove 98 in the faceof the feed bar. It is secured to the feed bar by means of a screw 99passing through an elongated slot 100 in the member 96. Groove 98 andslot 100 allow for slight adjustment of the member 96 from front to rearof the feed bar. At its forward end the member 96 has a laterallyextending portion which is slotted to provide a plurality ofhorizontally extending fingers 101 which project transversely of theline of feed. These fingers, as best shown in Fig. 3, extend in rear ofthe needles 17, one finger being in rear of and closely adjacent thepath of reciprocation of a related needle. They are disposed below theloop-seizing and shedding portions of the loopers 63. It will beapparent that the fingers 101 shift in the direction of feed along withthe feed dog and the needles in the course of their feed and returnmovements.

I In Figs. 18 and 19 there is illustrated a modified arrangement forrocking the looper carrying shaft 68, both in accordance with themovement of the feed dog and to provide a needle avoid action. Themounting of the loopers and the connections for imparting loop seizingand shedding movements to the latter and also for operating the feed barand feed, dog and other parts of the machine arethe same as in relationto the embodiment the throat plate as the lifting and 1 first described,and the various parts shown are correspondingly numbered in Figs. 18 and19.

The mechanism for rocking the looper carrying shaft 68, to cause theloopers to follow the needles in their needle feed action and also toimpart a needle avoid movement to the loopers, comprises a downwardlyextending arm 102 secured to the shaft 68 by means of a clamping screw103. The upper end of arm 102 is provided with a split sleeve for thispurpose. At its lower end the arm 102 is pivotally connected by means ofa pin 104 with a lower arm 105 of a C-shaped lever having an upper arm106. The latter is pivotally connected by means of a pin 107 with apitman 108 having a strap portion surrounding an eccentric 109 securedto the main shaft 14. A needle bearing unit 109a is preferably providedbetween the eccentric and the strap. The lever 105, 106 carries a pivotpin 110 adjacent its mid point, this pin being retained on the lever bya set screw 111. Branched extensions 112 of a link 113 are pivotallyconnected with the lever 105, 106 by means of the pin 110. At its rearend the link 113 is pivotally connected by means of a pin 114 to thelower end of an arm 115 having a split sleeve at its upper end clampedby means of a screw 116 upon the feed rocker carrying shaft 46.

Ignoring the action of the eccentric 109 through the pitman 108, andassuming that the pin 107 is held fixed, it will be seen that therocking of the feed rocker shaft 46 will cause the lever 105, 106 torock about the pin out departing from the 107 and thereby swing the arm102 to rock the shaft 68. The relationship of the parts is such that theloopers 63 will thereby be shifted back and forth along the line of feedin unison with and to the same extent as the feed dog. Now ignoring theaction of the connections from the feed rocker shaft 46, and assumingthat the pin is held in fixed position, the eccentric 109 will rock thelever 105, 106 about the pin 110 and thereby swing the arm 102 to rockthe shaft 68 to impart the desired needle avoid movements to theloopers. Actually, it will be understood, the two motions are applied tothe looper rock shaft 68 so that neither of the pins 107 and 110 remainsin a fixed position but the movements of the feed rocker shaft 46 andpitman 108 impart their combined effect to the arm 102 to provide thedesired relationship between the loopers and the needles at all times.It will be appreciated that both of the pins 107 and 110 providefloating pivots and their movements are constrained to a particular pathby the nature of the linkage. While a preferred embodiment of theinvention and a possible modification of a portion of the mechanismtherein have been described in considerable detail, it will beunderstood that various changes may be made in the construction andarrangement of the several parts withgeneral principles and scope of theinvention as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is: 1. In a sewing machine having a rotary drive shaft,work feeding mechanism comprising a feed dog arranged to feed the workstep-by-step in a predetermined direction, a needle arranged forreciprocation through the work and for movement in the direction of feedwhile engaged with the work to assist the feeding action of the feeddog, and a looper mounted for loop seizing and shedding movements in adirection transverse to the direction of feed and movements parallelwith the direction of feed, the combination of connections from saidshaft for operating said feed dog and said needle and for imparting loopseizing and shedding movements to said looper, eccentric means carriedby said shaft separate from the connections from said shaft foroperating the feed dog, and means for shifting said looper in adirection parallel with the direction of feed controlled in part by saidconnections for operating the feed dog and in part by connections fromsaid eccentric means. 2. In a sewing machine having a rotary driveshaft,

work feeding mechanism comprising a feed dog arranged to feed the workstep-by-step in a predetermined direction, a needle arranged forrepirocation through the work and for movement in the direction of feedwhile engaged withthe work to assist the feeding action of the feed dog,and a looper mounted for loop seizing and shedding movements in adirection transverse to the direction of feed and movements parallelwith the direction of feed, the combination of connections from saidshaft for operating said feed dog and said needle and for imparting loopseizing and shedding movements to said looper, eccentric means carriedby said shaft separate from the connections from said shaft foroperating the feed dog, and means for shifting said looper in adirection parallel with the direction of feed controlled in part by saidconnections for operating the feed dog and in part by connections fromsaid eccentric means, the arrangement being such that said looper isshifted by said looper shifting means at times in the same direction andat a times in opposite directions under the separate controls from saidfeed dog operating connections and from said eccentric means.

3. In a sewing machine having a rotary drive shaft, work feedingmechanism comprising a feed dog arranged to feed the work step-by-stepin a predetermined direction, a needle arranged for reciprocationthrough the work and for movement in the direction of feed while engagedwith the work to assist the feeding action of the feed dog, and a loopermounted for loop seizing and shedding movements in a directiontransverse to the direction of feed and movements parallel with thedirection of feed, the combination of connections from saidshaft foroperating said feed dog and said needle and for imparting loop seizingand shedding movements to said looper, said connections for operatingsaid feed dog being adjustable to vary the extent of movement of thefeed dog, eccentric means carried by said shaft separate from theconnections from said shaft for operating the feed dog, and means forshifting said looper in a direction parallel with the direction of feedcontrolled in part by said connections for operating the feed dog and inpart by connections from said eccentric means.

4. In a sewing machine having a rotary drive shaft, work feedingmechanism comprising a feed dog arranged to feed the work step-by-stepin a predetermined direction, a needle arranged for reciprocationthrough the work and for movement in the direction of feed while engagedwith the work to assist the feeding action of the feed dog, and a loopermounted for loop seizing and shedding movements in a directiontransverse to the direction of feed and movements parallel with thedirection of feed, the combination of connections from said shaft foroperating said feed dog and said needle and for imparting loop seizingand shedding movements to said looper, eccentric means carried by saidshaft separate from the connections from said shaft for operating thefeed dog, and means for shifting said looper in a direction parallelwith the direction of feed controlled in part by said connections foroperating the feed dog and in part by connections from said eccentricmeans, said looper shifting means comprising a lever having floatingpivots at each end thereof and at a point intermediate its ends, one ofsaid pivots being connected with said connections for operating the feeddog, an-. other being connected with said connections from saideccentric, and the third being connected with said looper shiftingmeans.

' 5. In a sewing machine having a frame with a work supporting base, avertical standard and an overhanging arm terminating in a needle head, arotary drive shaft in said frame, a feed dog in said base, connectionsfrom said shaft for operating said feed dog to feed work supported bysaid base, a needle bar mounted for reciprocation and for lateralmovements in said head, said bar carrying a needle at its lower. end..for movement through the work upon reciprocation of said bar and formovement with the work in the direction of feed upon said lateralmovements of said bar, a looper mounted for loop seizing and sheddingmovements transverse to the line of feed and for rocking movements inthe direction of feed, eccentric means on said shaft for imparting loopseizing and shedding movements to said looper, eccentric means on saidshaft separate from the connections from said shaft for operating thefeed dog for imparting rocking movements to said looper, and meanscontrolled by said connections for operating said feed dog for modifyingthe rocking movements imparted to said looper by said last mentionedeccentric means, said means controlled by said connections for operatingsaid feed dog serving to rock said looper to an extent equal to the feedmovement of said feed dog.

6. In a sewing machine having a frame with a work supporting base, avertical standard and an overhanging arm terminating in a needle head, arotary drive shaft in said frame, a feed dog in said base, connectionsfrom said shaft for operating said feed dog to feed work supported bysaid base, a needle bar mounted for reciprocation and for lateralmovements in said head, said bar carrying a needle at its lower end formovement through the work upon reciprocation of said bar and formovement with the work in the direction of feed upon said lateralmovements of said bar, a looper mounted for loop seizing and sheddingmovements transverse to the line of feed and for rocking movements inthe direction of feed, eccentric means on said shaft for imparting loopseizing and shedding movements to said looper, eccern tric means on saidshaft separate from the connections from said shaft for operating thefeed dog for imparting rocking movements to said looper, and meanscontrolled by said connections for operating said feed dog for modifyingthe rocking movements imparted to said looper by said last mentionedeccentric means, said means controlled by said connections for operatingsaid feed dog serving to rock said looper to an extent equal to the feedmovement of said feed dog, and said eccentric means for impartingrocking movements to said looper serving to provide needle avoidmovements of said looper.

7. In a sewing machine having a frame with a work supporting base, avertical standard and an overhanging arm terminating in a needle head, arotary drive shaft in said frame, a feed dog in said base, connectionsfrom said shaft for operating said feed dog to feed Work supported bysaid base, a needle bar mounted for reciprocation and for lateralmovements in said head, said bar carrying a plurality of needles at itslower end for movement through the work upon reciprocation of said barand for movement with the work in the direction of feed upon saidlateral movements of said bar, a plurality of loopers mounted for loopseizing and shedding movements transverse to the line of feed and forrocking movements in the direction of feed, eccentric means on saidshaft for imparting loop seizing and shedding movements to said loopers,eccentric means on said shaft separate from the connections from saidshaft for operating the feed dog for imparting rocking movements to saidloopers, and means controlled by said connections for operating saidfeed dog for modifying the rocking movements imparted to said loopers bysaid last mentioned eccentric means.

8. In a sewing machine having a frame with a work supporting base, avertical standard and an overhanging arm terminating in a needle head, arotary drive shaft in said frame, a feed dog in said base, connectionsfrom said shaft for operating said feed dog to feed work supported bysaid base, a needle bar mounted for reciprocation and for lateralmovements in said head, said bar carrying a needle at its lower end formovement through the work pivotally connected with said pitman,connections from said lever to said looper for rocking said looper toimpart needle avoid movements thereto, and connections to said leverfrom said connections for operating said feed dog for rocking saidlooper in coordination with the movements of said feed dog in thedirection of feed.

9. In a sewing machine having a frame with a Work supporting base, avertical standard and an overhanging arm terminating in a needle head, arotary drive shaft in said frame, a feed dog in said base, connectionsfrom said shaft for operating said feed dog to feed work supported bysaid base, a needle bar mounted for reciprocation and for lateralmovements in needle at its lower end for movement through the Work uponreciprocation of said bar and for movement with the work in thedirection of feed upon said lateral movements of said bar, a loopermounted for loop seizing and shedding movements transverse to the lineof feed and for rocking movements in the direction of feed, eccentricmeans on said shaft for imparting loop seizing and said looper,eccentric means on the connections from said shaft for imparting rockingmovehaving substantially its mid-point pivotally connected with saidpitman, connections from one end of said lever to said looper forrocking said looper, and connections from the other end of said lever tosaid connections for operating said feed dog arranged to rock said leverin coordina tion with the movements of said feed dog in the direction offeed.

10. In a sewing machine having a frame with a work supporting base, avertical standard and an overhanging upon said lateral movements of thebar, a looper rock shaft in said base extending transversely of the lineof feed, a looper carrier mounted on said rock shaft for carrierarranged to cooperate with said needles in stitch formation, connectionsfrom said rotary drive shaft for imparting pivotal movements to saidcarrier to seize and shed needle thread loops, eccentric means on saiddrive shaft separate from the 'connections from said shaft for operatingthe feed dog, a member connected with said rock shaft for rocking thesame, and connections from said feed rocker and from said eccentricmeans for imparting compound movements to said member.

11. In a sewing machine having a frame with a work supporting base, avertical standard and an overhanging arm terminating in a needle head, arotary drive shaft in said frame, a four motion feed dog in said base,connections from said shaft for operating said feed dog to ad- '12 vancework supported by said base along a predetermined line of feed, saidconnections including a feed rocker pivotally mounted in said base, aneedle bar mounted for reciprocation and for lateral movements in saidhead, a needle carried by said needle bar for movement through the workupon reciprocation of said bar and for movement with the work along theline of feed another of said pivots, and connections from still anotherof said pivots to said rock shaft for rocking the latter.

12. In a sewing machine having a frame rocker pivotally mounted in saidbase, a needle bar mounted for reciprocation and for lateral movementsin said head, a needle carried by said needle bar for moveoperating thefeed dog, one adjacent each end of said lever, a pitman cooperating withsaid eccentric 13. In a sewing machine having a rotary drive shaft, afeed dog for advancing work in a predetermined direction, a needle barcarrying a needle arranged for reciprocation through the Work and forlateral movement in the direction of feed while engaged with the work,and

direction of feed, a looper mounted on said carrier for cooperation withsaid needle, connections from said drive shaft for swinging said carrierabout its pivot to impart loop seizing and shedding movements to saidlooper, an operating member connected With said rock shaft for rockingthe same, means operated by said connections for operating said feed dogfor shifting said operating membet and thereby rocking said rock shaftin accordance with the movement of said feed dog in the direction offeed, and connections from said drive shaft to said operating member formodifying the rocking movement imparted thereby to said rock shaft toimpart a needle avoid movement to the looper.

651,808 Noble June 12, 1900 '14 Zeier Dec. 6, 1941 Quist Sept. 14, 1943Clayton Mar. 26, 1946 Clayton May 18, 1948 Peterson et a1 Dec. 4, 1951

